Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa · Puerto Morelos venue guide
Dreams Riviera Cancun Wedding Photographer
All-inclusive beachfront resort in the Puerto Morelos area with a classic wedding gazebo and wide beach ceremony setups.
Dreams Riviera Cancun sits on the beach in Puerto Morelos, between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. The reef offshore keeps the water calm, and the resort has ceremony spots for almost every size, from a garden for 60 guests to the lobby staircase for 250.
I have photographed several weddings here. Two ceremonies were on the sand and one on a raised terrace above the beach. The receptions moved to the oceanfront at sunset and stayed under string lights for the dancing. For portraits I use the beach in the last light, the lawns under the palms and the lobby, with its columns and dark wood.
Where to say “I do” — and how each spot photographs
Beach
Listed for about 100 guests for a ceremony and 200 for a reception. Two of the ceremonies I photographed here were on the sand, under a white draped canopy and under a gold arch. With the reef close by, the water near the shore looks darker and stays calm.
Gazebo
The resort’s oceanfront gazebo, listed for about 150 guests. It gives the ceremony a defined frame with the sea behind it.
Oceana Terrace
An elevated oceanfront terrace for a ceremony or cocktail hour, listed for about 150 guests.
Lobby Staircase
The grand staircase in the lobby, listed for up to 250 guests for a ceremony. The lobby’s columns and dark wood are also where I take portraits while the sun is still strong outside.
Lawns and palms
The lawns between the buildings, under tall palms. This is where the wedding parties in my galleries here had their photos, in open shade.
Ceiba Tree Garden
A small garden around a ceiba, the sacred Maya tree, listed for about 60 guests. Shade and greenery without the sand.
Oceanfront Deck and Oceana Restaurant
Reception spaces facing the water, listed for about 180 to 250 guests, with a firm floor for dancing. The Oceana Restaurant is only available for events later in the evening.
Ballroom
The indoor reception space, listed for about 250 guests, and the rain plan.
Dreams Riviera Cancun wedding packages and prices
These are the resort’s packages and prices, not mine. They come from published sources, checked October 2026, and the resort changes them, so confirm the current rates with its wedding team before you plan the budget.
| Package | Guests included | Published price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elope in Luxury | The two of you | From $1,599 | A ceremony for the couple alone. |
| Wedding in Paradise | 10 guests | $1,249–$1,599 | A ceremony with flowers, a cake and a sparkling wine toast. Can be free with a qualifying room booking. |
| Eternal Love | 20 guests | $4,599–$5,349 | Adds a cocktail hour, a reception, décor and short photo coverage by the resort’s team. |
| Beyond Memorable | 79 guests | $10,949–$12,649 | A larger celebration with a reception, upgraded décor and a cocktail party. |
| Dulha & Dulhan | 79 guests | From $10,099 | For a South Asian wedding, built for Hindu and Sikh celebrations. |
Ranges, not quotes: each source publishes a slightly different 2026 rate, and the low season is usually cheaper. Extra guests are charged per person, and Wedding in Paradise can be free with a qualifying room booking. Some venues carry their own venue fee and the sources disagree on which, so ask. Several packages include short photo coverage by the resort’s own team; if you bring your own photographer, ask how that changes the package. Confirm everything with the resort’s wedding team, in writing, for your date.
A photo timeline that works here
Based on a winter ceremony (sunset ≈ 6 pm). I adjust it to your date and your venue coordinator's schedule.
- 2:00 pm
- Getting ready — details, dress, final touches of makeup
- 3:15 pm
- Bride portraits and first look
- 4:00 pm
- Ceremony
- 4:40 pm
- Family and group photos, right where the ceremony ends
- 5:10 pm
- Couple session in the golden hour
- 6:15 pm
- Reception entrance and first dance
- 8:00 pm
- Open dance floor, toasts and party
First look — yes or no?
Recommended for a late-afternoon ceremony. The lawns under the palms and the lobby give a first look shade and privacy, and portraits done early leave the last light free for the beach.
Logistics worth knowing
Dreams Riviera Cancun is in Puerto Morelos, about 25 km south of Cancun International Airport: around 20 to 30 minutes by car, more with traffic. Outside photographers are registered with the resort’s wedding team ahead of time, and the wedding designer coordinates the photography timeline directly. Leave a few minutes between spots in the timeline. The ballroom is the rain plan.
Vendor rules at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa
- Outside photographers: Accepted
- Outside photographers are accepted and should be registered with the resort wedding team in advance. At a wedding here in 2026 the resort wedding designer wrote to Kristina directly and coordinated the photography timeline, which is how the process tends to work.
- These rules belong to the resort, not to me. The resort sets the fee, charges it and changes it, often from one season to the next and sometimes from one wedding to the next, so I do not publish an amount here: any number you find online is already out of date for your date. Ask your wedding coordinator at the resort to confirm it in writing, and ask early: it is a real line in the budget. It is also worth asking whether there is any flexibility. Some venues waive or reduce the fee, often when the vendor team books rooms for a few nights or when the wedding is booked through certain agencies, and plenty of couples never find out because they never ask.
- Tell me about your wedding →
The light here
Puerto Morelos faces the Caribbean to the east, so the sun sets inland, behind the resort. Plan portraits for the final 45 to 60 minutes before sunset on your date. Sunset runs from about 6:10 to 6:30 p.m. in winter to about 7:30 p.m. in summer. A late-afternoon beach ceremony photographs better than an early one, because the sand and water reflect a strong sun straight back onto faces.
Real weddings at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa
Questions couples ask about Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa
Can we bring our own photographer to Dreams Riviera Cancun?
Yes. Outside photographers are accepted. Kristina has photographed several weddings here, and the resort’s wedding designer coordinates the photography timeline with her directly.
Is there an outside photographer fee?
Yes, and the sources do not agree on how it is charged: some describe it per service, others per staff member. That is exactly why the amount has to come from the resort. The resort sets it, collects it and revises it, so we do not publish an amount: any figure would already be old for your date. Ask your wedding coordinator to confirm it in writing.
Does the photographer need a wedding day pass?
The resort publishes a Wedding Pass for wedding guests who are not staying there, but public material does not establish that it is the credential used by an outside photographer. Confirm photographer access separately with the wedding team.
What wedding packages does Dreams Riviera Cancun offer, and how much do they cost?
The resort publishes several packages for 2026: Wedding in Paradise for 10 guests at about $1,249 to $1,599, Eternal Love for 20 at about $4,599 to $5,349, and Beyond Memorable for 79 at about $10,949 to $12,649. There is also Elope in Luxury for the two of you, and extra guests are charged per person. The rates change, so confirm them with the resort’s wedding team before you plan the budget.
Which ceremony spot is best at Dreams Riviera Cancun?
It depends on your guest list. The Ceiba Tree garden fits about 60, the beach and the gazebo around 100 to 150, and the lobby staircase up to 250. For photographs I like the beach or the oceanfront spots late in the afternoon, when the light softens.
Can we have an Indian wedding at Dreams Riviera Cancun?
Yes. The resort lists the Dulha & Dulhan package for South Asian weddings, built for Hindu and Sikh celebrations. The order of events changes with every family, so the timeline is built with yours.
Where should we schedule sunset portraits?
Plan them during the final 45 to 60 minutes before sunset. The Caribbean is on the sunrise side, so the sun sets inland rather than over the ocean.
What is the rain plan at Dreams Riviera Cancun?
The ballroom. Agree on it with the coordinator before the day, so the call on the morning is quick. Rain here is usually a short storm, and a few dry minutes are often enough for portraits outside.
How late can the party go at Dreams Riviera Cancun?
Most venues are listed until 11 p.m., and the Oceana Restaurant is only available after 8 p.m. Confirm the end time for your venue with the coordinator, in writing.
How much does a wedding photographer cost at Dreams Riviera Cancun?
Experienced destination wedding photographers in this area generally run from about $3,000 to $8,000 USD for the wedding day, and more for multi-day celebrations with film. Most couples marrying at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa book 6-8 hours, so the coverage reaches from getting ready to the party. Travel to this venue is included or minimal, we are local. To know where I would begin for your date, tell me about it at /contact/.
Getting married at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa?
I've photographed here — I know the light, the spots and the rules.